It's Raining
by Eldr-Fire
Summary: Summer has arrived with a torrential downpour and Popuri pays a visit to the blacksmith. HM:MFoMT. PopurixGray. T for sexual themes.


Oh, well, this is short, but it was written for my sister as a gift. I wrote it fast but that's okay I think! Well, this is her new OTP for HM:MFoMT, and well she drew me a picture recently of MY Naruto OTP, KakaSaku, so I well I was intrigued by this pairing and hope I did it justice here!

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Popuri's fist pushed up against her soft cheek, propping it up as she stared glumly out the window. It rattled with the storm outside, rain splattering against the pane. The farm swam with mud; she could see Rick outside, fretting as he hurried the chickens into their coop. With detached interest she watched as he patted a particularly stubborn hen on the feathered rear, trying to hasten her into safety. Finally she relented, unrooting herself and waddling inside. Rick sagged with relief, pushing the door of the coop shut with his shoulder and turning the key fiercely in the lock.

He disappeared out of her view; several moments later, she heard the sudden crescendo of noise as the door creaked open, allowing the warm house a glimpse of the full rage of the storm. The sound sank into the background again as Rick slammed the door shut behind him.

"Rick, dear, you're soaking wet..." Popuri could hear her mother's weak voice drifting over from her station behind the counter.

Sighing, Popuri pushed herself off of the sill and walked over to the foyer. Rick was fumbling behind his back at the damp strings of his apron.

"Will you get him a bucket, Popuri?" Lilia asked her. Popuri nodded, going quickly to the kitchen. A rusty bucket was taking shadowy refuge in a corner of the cluttered (Rick preferred "cozy") kitchen; she grabbed it and walked back, annoyed by how it bumped uncomfortably against her clean dress.

"... don't really need it, I'm just going back outside anyway." Rick looked over at Popuri as she returned with the bucket. His glasses were completely fogged up. She deposited the bucket at his feet, but he didn't seem to notice it.

"I have to go into town," he continued, addressing his mother.

"What for, dear?"

Rick sighed irritably, rubbing the back of his sore neck. "It's a pain, but I promised Jack I'd go and pick up his new hammer for him..."

Popuri's heart skipped a beat. "You're going to the blacksmith's?" she blurted.

Rick looked over at her curiously. "Er, yes..."

"Isn't Saibara closed today?" Lilia looked at Rick in confusion.

"Eh, well, Jack told me that Saibara said he'd let him come in today, since they're just giving him the final product," Rick explained.

Poprui felt dizzy. She wasn't supposed to be thinking about him today... but the opportunity was so tempting, and she found herself unable to resist.

"I'll go!" She could feel a blush creeping up the back of her neck, but she hoped they wouldn't take notice.

Rick looked bemused. "Are you sure, Popuri?" Lilia asked gently. "You don't want to get your dress wet..."

"I'll wear a coat!" Popuri hurried to the hall closet; the hangers rattled as she pushed them aside, retrieving the heaviest coat she owned. It was thick and hooded, bright red against the dull, neutral colors of the rest of the closet.

"Well, in that case..." He must have still been a little confused, but he seemed happy that the burden was taken off his shoulders. Removing his apron, he wrung it out over the bucket, watching with satisfaction as the fat droplets spilled into it with a tinny splatter. "Jack will probably be at Beach Day," he told Popuri, who was already at the door.

"Beach Day?" Lilia looked skeptically out the window. "In this storm...?"

Her words were drowned out by the howl of the wind as Popuri threw open the heavy wooden door, striding out into the rain and shutting it firmly behind her.

Her hood was drawn tightly around her face, but a few pink locks still spilled out, bouncing on her chest as she walked briskly around the house. She bent her head against the rain, a bold red brushstroke against the blotchy background of muddy greens and browns.

She rounded the corner out of her property; the wind was whistling violently past her, but even over the mournful cacophony she could hear her own heart pounding nervously against her ribs. It made her light headed, and she accidentally walked right past the blacksmith's shop. However, as soon as she saw that the fence had ended on her right side, she realized her mistake; blushing furiously, she turned sharply on her heel, marching through the churning mud path and going up to the building.

Normally the blacksmith's shop was not intimidating, but today she could not shake the feeling that she _should not be here_, and it loomed ominously over her as she shakily turned the doorknob.

A bell tinkled innocently above her head as she stepped inside, shutting out the storm behind her with a quick slam of the door.

"Eh?"

Popuri yelped with surprise. Pressed against the door, she looked with wide, frightened eyes at the approaching figure. As he stepped out of the darkness of the back of the shop, however, she relaxed; it was only Saibara. Only Saibara... she couldn't help the twinge of disappointment.

"And what are you doing here, Popuri?" She knew he meant the question kindly, but his naturally gruff tone did not ease her nerves. She was starting to wonder if maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to come here...

"I--" She coughed politely, clearing her throat. "I came instead of Rick, who was going to come instead of Jack to--"

"Of course, of course!" Saibara cut her off with a hearty laugh. "Can't anyone do anything for themselves nowadays..." He rubbed his hands together, rough with callouses. "Well I've got his hammer here for him, although I wouldn't much fancy a trip to the mines today, downright dreary if you ask me..."

He kept talking, but Popuri was not listening. Her eyes had betrayed her shaky willpower and had strayed over to the counter where--

She looked away sharply, fixing her gaze on a simple anvil. She could acutely feel the blood pulsing through her veins, winding round her heart and racing through her legs and settling low in her belly, where she could feel the first flickers of desire--

"... be right with you, just need to fetch it from the back..."

Saibara disappeared into the back room. Popuri swallowed. She did not allow herself to fully comprehend exactly what she was doing as, gathering her courage, she pushed herself off the door and walked over to the counter.

He did not look up at her at first. He kept his eyes trained on some trivial form he was supposed to be reading, the tilt of his hat shadowing his face. A smile curled her soft pink lips.

"Good morning, Gray."

A beat of silence. Then, stiffly, "Good morning, Popuri."

Her smile widened. She folded her hands on top of the counter, leaning forward. Her small, cherubic nose poked dangerously far into Gray's large personal bubble; he looked up at her.

"Can I help you?" She was surprised at how steady he could keep his voice.

She decided not to answer, smiling innocently at him. Her hood was slipping down her head; Gray's hand twitched. She smiled encouragingly. "Go ahead," she whispered.

Conflict flashing across his dull blue eyes -- _or was it something hungrier_ -- and he seemingly couldn't stop himself from raising his arm, reaching over to slowly push her bright red hood down to bunch on her shoulders, freeing her tresses of pink curls. She simply watched with a smile that she knew only maddened him.

His fingers hesitated at the base of her neck. With a painstaking restraint making his hand visibly shake, he drew it up slowly, pausing at a strand that hung loosely in her face. Gently, tenderly, achingly, he tucked it behind her ear. Their eyes met, hers burning scarlet, trying to ignite the dark flame slowly flickering to life behind his cool blue--

"Pity about the rain," Saibara said conversationally. He walked over to join Popuri in front of the counter; Gray's hand had already returned discreetly to his side.

"Yeah," Popuri said distractedly. She was trying not to stare at the way Gray was biting his lip, clearly admonishing himself for his lapse of judgment.

"They've canceled Beach Day, which hasn't happened in years." He held out the hammer to Popuri, who took it awkwardly, not sure how to handle the tool. "Supposed to clear up tomorrow, at least. I expect you're upset about the delay?"

It took Popuri a moment to register that he was talking to her. "What? Why?"

Saibara seemed surprised. "Well, certainly the storms are too bad for Kai to come in today."

Gray hissed sharply. Popuri's heart thundered. _Kai's not here yet..._

"Oh, silly me!" She laughed shakily. "Of course he can't come in today..." She sighed. "Darn, that's too bad..."

"Don't worry about it." The ends of his bushy mustache lifted in a smile. "I'm sure he'll be in tomorrow."

The old man cracked his shoulders. "Well, since there'll be no festivities, I think I owe Duke a visit. Some wine sounds very good right about now, although I do prefer a brandy myself..."

He nearly disappeared into his huge gray coat, shaking it over his arms and pulling it tight about himself. He pulled a balaclava over his head; his mustache wouldn't fit and stuck out over the edges of the face hole. "Take care," he said thickly, his voice muffled by the thick material. In a few moments of howling wind he was out the door.

It shut loudly behind him, blocking out the storm with it. They could still hear it pounding against the shuttered windows.

"One more day..." Gray's voice was quiet and thoughtful, but Popuri did not miss the hint of yearning lurking beneath the surface. She looked up at him, feeling the throbbing in her core intensify as she met his gaze: there was shame there, but it was no match for the overwhelming lust.

A smile stretched across her face. "One more day."

He caught her words with a kiss.


End file.
